“She’s friends with everyone.” That’s often the first thing colleagues and family will tell you about Shannon. Although they tease her for “knowing someone everywhere she goes,” they’re quick to point out she’s so much more than just funny and social—she’s a woman who cares deeply for others.
A hometown girl with roots firmly planted in the area, Shannon graduated from Cathedral High School and earned her degree in dental assisting from St. Cloud Technical College in 1992.
“My mom worked as a business manager in the dental industry for many years,” she says. “I saw how much she enjoyed it and thought it would be a hands-on-job that allow me to work closely with people.”
Back and neck issues eventually pushed her out of dental assisting and into various sales and customer service roles, including some outside of the dental industry. Then in August 2013, Dentistry for Children offered her a position as Patient Care Coordinator.
“I wanted to get back into the dental field again, and I love kids. I also knew that I could use my dental knowledge to educate parents and ease their concerns,” shares Shannon. “But Dr. Dennis’ compassion for his patients and staff is really what sealed the deal for me.”
Shannon’s personal experiences as a breast cancer survivor have taught her that we need to “celebrate life” and “be grateful for what we have”—even simple things, like “dark chocolate,” “a good book” and “the laughter of children as they run excitedly through the Dentistry for Children reception area on their way to the game room.” Life is a precious gift.
Shannon and her husband Mike live in St. Cloud with their children Jack (18), Julia (14) and Ben (11) and their dog Murphy.
Meet other members of our team, and learn more about our pediatric dentists.